Accomplished in Death - part 1 of 4

Much confusion exists towards the subject of the accomplishment in the death of Jesus Christ. There cannot be two or more ends intended in our Lord's death; but only one. Though many have been suggested, all but one devised by man, it is my intension to better understand that one accomplishment, or end, intended by the Father in His Son's death.

In Jesus' own words His purpose in the incarnation and death is revealed to us. Jesus said in Luke 19:10 "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Paul also tells us plainly in 1Timothy 1:15 "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." Jesus came into the world to seek and save the lost, whom are sinners. The questions at hand that bear much debate are these: 1. Who are the sinners that Christ came to save? 2. Were these sinners saved or given the opportunity to be saved in the death of Christ? 3. Did Christ die to save all men, or many men?

For Whom Did Christ Lay Down His Life?
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep." John 10:14-15

For whom did Christ lay down His life? In John 10:15, Jesus says He lays His life down for His sheep. Again, in John 10:11 Jesus calls Himself the good shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. My question to be answered is this: who are the sheep? And afterward, can the sheep in such a context and the use of the word world be reconciled? Are these sheep definite people or merely a hypothetical group that Christ hopes will form after Him?

In John 10:3 ("To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.") we have an action, or cause, and an effect of that action. The first action is that of a shepherd. The shepherd calls his own sheep. Moreover, he calls them by name. This gives the reader or hearer the impression that the called sheep are not unknown to the shepherd. In fact, they are, every one of them, named by the shepherd. Being named they are intimately connected to their own shepherd and no other. Likewise, the shepherd is connected intimately to his own sheep having named them. This action of the shepherd specifically calling his own sheep by name creates a reaction, or an effect. The sheep to which the shepherd calls hear his voice. The sheep recognize their shepherd's voice, and they must, for he cares for them, protects them, feeds them, leads them to green pastures, and gives them rest. Not hearing their shepherd's voice, or not recognizing the voice, would lead to certain death if they were to be left in their current place (if possible - Luke 15:4). The sheep are intimately connected to their shepherd in this way. They trust the voice of their shepherd who is their life sustainer; therefore, they follow the shepherd who leads them. Is it possible for the sheep to not follow their own shepherd and instead follow another? John 10:5 "A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." Sheep, who follow their own shepherd's voice in which they trust and know, cannot follow an alien voice. In fact, not only do they not follow him, they do more and flee from him. We have certain absolutes given to us in this passage: The shepherd will call his sheep by name; the sheep will know and listen to his voice; the sheep will not listen to any other; the shepherd will lead them; and the sheep will follow.

By Jesus calling Himself the Good Shepherd in John 10:14, He connects Himself with the parables of the chapter. Christ is the shepherd; His followers are His sheep. Christ calls His own out by name. His own hear His voice, fleeing from all others. Christ leads them out guaranteeing them life and protection and care. So we see that the sheep are not merely a hypothetical group, but a group that is known by name by Christ, even before His death. If Christ calls His own by name, and His own follow Him and no other, then what follows is that there are those who are not called by name by Christ. If all were called by name, then all would follow. There are many in this world that do not know Christ, and many who know of Him that do not know Him intimately as their life-giving shepherd. In verse 14 Christ says that He knows His own (His named people) and His own know Him. If His own know Him, then they follow Him. Those of the world who do not follow Him are not His own. We see this plainly in John 10:26.

After being questioned by a group of non-believing Jews if He was the Christ, Jesus gave them the reason for their non-belief. John 10:26 "But you do not believe because you are not part of my flock." Many would like to transpose this truth so that it would then falsely read, "You are not part of my flock because you do not believe," as if believing then infuses them into the flock of Christ. If Christ were to call this group of non-believing Jews by name as His sheep, because of their first being named as sheep, they would then believe and follow Him, but Jesus tells them plainly that they are not part of the flock; therefore, they are not called by name; and it is because they are not called by name that they do not believe. In the next verse Jesus again says, (27) "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." The non-believers in this passage did not follow Jesus; therefore, the only conclusion that must be derived is that they are not His named, or called out, sheep who hear His voice.

More evidence toward the sheep being a definite group of people exists in verse 29. "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all..." Some often like to say that Christ died not to save and secure a salvation for His sheep, but rather that He died to make possible the salvation of His sheep who will only exist if they decide to become a sheep of Christ. This position must assume that verse 29 should actually read, "My Father, who has not given them to me, but rather hopes that some of the world will decide to become and name themselves as one of my sheep, is greater than all..." Of course this is not what is meant by the verse. Jesus speaks as something being accomplished and not offered or for something hoped. His Father has given His sheep to Him, which is an action on the part of the Father alone and not of the sheep themselves. The Son will then secure those sheep in their heavenly inheritance by His keeping of covenant with His Father in sacrifice.

We've seen briefly that Scripture teaches Christ's sheep are named people among all of humanity, given to Him by the Father who has granted (John 6:65) their coming and has drawn (John 6:44) them to Christ; and it is for these named people that Christ laid down His life.

tomorrow..."Opportunity or Accomplishment"